Strange Gifts
by Chocochino11
Summary: When Zack was little he had one friend. 12 years later, her brother shows up bearing an unusual gift, and this gift brings more trouble than Zack ever bargained for...
1. Lynne

**A/N: so this morning I decided I would write a zack fic about someone from his past, cuz zack needs an old friend to come screw up his future… I have the story in mind, so here goes… and I don't own Bones…**

_When Zack was 10- his first day of high school…_

Zack stared at the front door of the school. He really didn't want to go in, but classes started in 20 minutes and he needed to get his schedule and find his first block.

He walked in and found himself in the huge cafeteria. There were students hanging out at the tables and buying breakfast, and a woman wearing big earphones staring at a security monitor at the far end of the room. There were no security people at the middle school, so that was a bit scary.

He quickly made his way across the room with the intent of asking the woman where the main office was, and was happy when he saw it was just around the corner behind her.

The lady behind the desk had to stand to see him over it, and she was confused as heck. "Are you looking for your sibling sweetie?"

"My name is Zackary Addy. I'm a new student here." He said quickly.

"Oh, you're Zack Addy?" He nodded. "Well, here is your schedule, a map of the school, the form your teachers need to sign, and the papers you need to bring in tomorrow once your parents fill them out."

Zack put the papers in his backpack, leaving his schedule in hand. There were A days and B days, the only difference being B days had Seminar after 1st block. "Is today an A day or a B day?" He asked the lady. She looked shocked.

"It takes most students a week to figure out the schedule, how did you get…" She trailed off when she saw Zack staring at her, waiting for the answer to his question. "Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are A days. Today is Tuesday so you have Seminar today."

Zack thanked the perplexed woman and walked out. It was very difficult finding his 1st class; the school was made up of two giant squares, two floors, plus the arts wing, the cafeteria, and the gym. He was looking for room 247, Honors Geometry with Mrs. Jameson.

A few of the students were giving him weird looks, but they mostly paid no attention to him. He was grateful for that, though he wished he could ask someone for help. The map was confusing even for him, considering the copy machine had smudged some of the typing.

He must have gone around the same square six times before he found the room. It was covered in math posters, and since the 5-minute warning bell had just rung, it was filled with students. There was no teacher in there at the moment, so Zack didn't know what to do.

All the other kids took their seats, and he went to the old couch at the back of the room. The girl and boy at the desks in front of him were laughing and talking loudly, pretty much insulting each other, but it seemed like they were friends.

"Who are you?" Zack's head shot toward the girl when he heard her speak to him.

"I'm, uh, Zack." Before bed last night, his brother, Joe, had warned him not to say too much to the high schoolers, because they didn't like brainiacs. On the other hand, his mom had told him to try and make friends, which he thought was a trivial request. He was at school to learn, not create a nonexistent social life.

"Are you supposed to be in this class?" He nodded, deciding against speaking. The girl grinned, and by now had the entire class' attention. "Oh my gosh, you're so cute!" She ruffled his hair, and he just flinched back a bit. "Kevin, move your butt, make room for the new kid!"

Kevin moved to a seat two rows up, and the girl, he'd heard Kevin call her Katie, grabbed Zack's backpack and dropped it at the desk. He reluctantly got up and sat next to her.

"So you're, like, insanely smart?" She flipped her wavy hair over her shoulder.

"Uh, I guess." He was suddenly missing being ignored.

"Oh, you're so adorable, you look scared to death." The class was still watching them. The bell had rung and Mrs. Jameson still wasn't there yet. Katie's attention strayed back to her friends until the teacher walked in, 15 minutes late for class.

"Morning guys. Sorry I'm late. But I have your tests graded," collective class groan, "so let's begin." She went around and passed back everyone's papers, stopping when she almost gave Zack one. "My Kevin, you sure have shrunk, and you cut and dyed your hair. What'd you change your name to?"

Zack couldn't decide if he liked this teacher, but it didn't matter. "Zack Addy."

"And does Zack Addy have a paper for me to sign?" Zack handed her the sheet, which she signed and handed back. "And now, Zack, you and Kevin need to switch." They did so.

Katie still hadn't lost interest in Zack yet, and she wouldn't stop bugging him while he tried to do the homework that was assigned. She didn't even call him by his name, just 'New Kid.'

Zack was happy when the bell rang. Next was Seminar in room 207. That block went fairly normal. No one talked; they just listened to their iPods and did homework.

2nd block- Civics- was back by Geometry, and was filled with people Zack did not want to be near. Most of the boys were seniors proud to have failed enough times to still be in the class. Most of the girls were juniors who wouldn't stop complaining about having to be there again. Mr. Green was short and stern and barely tolerated the sound of breathing.

Only one boy, some punk named Chris, decided to give Zack a hard time. Zack ignored him, and was happy again when the bell rang. 3rd block was Biology- aka 30 freshmen and sophomores caught up in each other, and him being able to sit quietly in the back and listen to his teacher.

After Biology came lunch, which was more of a problem. He walked slowly and got shoved around in the giant crowd running to get to the cafeteria. He got in a line to buy his lunch, only to find that he needed a pin code to pay. The lunch mom took pity and let him get a free lunch that day, but he would have to pay it back later.

He looked around for a place to sit and saw one empty table near the exit. While he ate his sandwich he read his Bio textbook. He had almost completely zoned out when he heard someone a few tables over.

"I heard he's some super genius kid, with an IQ of 300."

"I heard he won't talk to anybody because he thinks he's better than us."

"I heard you guys would stop being so 'Gracie' and would go over and talk to the kid. Come on, give him a break, it's his first day here, he's probably nervous." A pause. "I'll prove it." In a few seconds, Zack heard the voice right next to him. "Is it ok if I sit down?"

Without waiting for an answer, she took a seat next to Zack. "I'm Lynne. Aren't you in my first block?" Zack didn't answer; he didn't recognize her. "Honors Geometry with Jameson?"

"Yeah, I'm Zack."

"When were you born, and what grade are you in?" This question was a little strange; most people just asked how old he was.

"November 25, and 9th grade."

"Yes!" Lynne's hands shot in the air. "Finally someone in my grade who's younger than me! Sorry if I'm scaring you, but my birthday's in October and pretty much everyone is older than me." Zack didn't know how to respond. "Hey do you wanna come sit over at my table? We've got plenty of room."

"No thank you, I'm fine."

"Aw, come on, we don't bite." Lynne grabbed Zack's backpack, he wished people would stop doing that, and carried it over to where she was before. He had no choice but to follow and drop down next to her. "So that's Jason," a stick-thin Asian boy with glasses and 3 giant pizza rolls on the tray in front of him, "that's Danny," short hair, button-up polo, and a tin of fruit salad, "and that's Sam," dirty blonde hair fell in his eyes as he was poring over some homework. "So how's your first day going?"

Zack tried to stay focused on the Bio book. "Fine."

"Just a word of advice, don't let Katie bug you too much. She'll grow tired of annoying you eventually, it's just the way she is. Trust me, I know. She did the same thing when I moved here two years ago." Lynne laughed and took a bite of her burger. "What she won't stop is calling you 'new kid.' The only person she calls by name is Kevin."

The table talked for a while. Sam only input when it was about video games, Jason only talked about band, and sophomore Danny liked to correct junior Sam's Physics work. Lynne tried including Zack, but Zack tried hard to stay out.

"So what's your fourth block?" She asked him. He looked at his schedule.

"Concert Choir with Tannen." It was his mom's idea. Lynne laughed again.

"That's where I'm going too. But how are you in Concert? It's all girls." Zack didn't know, so he shrugged.

When the bell rang to release them from lunch, Lynne led Zack down to the end of the arts wing hallway, where the choir room was.

Concert Choir was made up of girls from all the grades, plus Mr. Tannen, the 40-something teacher. Getting him to sign the paper took all the time until the bell rang. When it did, the class took their seats on the risers. Mr. Tannen took Zack to the front of the room.

"Everybody, this is our new student, Zack. He just came back from the world tour of 'Toy Story' on ice." Zack gave his new teacher a confused look; what was he talking about? "So now we need to voice place you. Are you a soprano, alto or tenor?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you try reading this?" Mr. Tannen handed Zack a song to read. "Ms. Sone, can you play his part with him?" The accompanist sat down at the piano and played Zack's first note.

He began to sing.

"_Some say love, it is a river,_

_that drowns, the tender reed._

_Some say love, it is a razor,_

_that leaves, your soul to bleed."_

The whole class was gawking at him. He had an amazing voice. "Zack, can you sing the soprano 1 part at the top of page 5 please?"

"_When the night, has been too lonely,_

_and the road, has been too long,_

_and you think, that love is only,_

_for the lucky, and the strong."_

The gawking got worse. Zack could hit some notes the actual girl sopranos had trouble with. He blushed and ducked his head. "Well I think you can have a seat in the soprano 1 section." Even Mr. Tannen was shocked. "You can go in the top row, between Lynne and Michelle."

Zack walked quickly to the seat Lynne made vacant. She was ecstatic. Michelle, on the other hand, was not so content.

"You must think you're all that, don't you?" Michelle glowered.

"All what?" He didn't get it.

"Just don't think that by coming in here and singing some high notes that you can become the star, ok?" Zack sat quietly with his head bowed the rest of the block. He was a bit afraid to sing since Michelle wouldn't stop glaring at him when he did.

When the bell rang to signal the end of school, Michelle decided to corner Zack in the hallway. "Hey new kid." Most of the kids had taken off to their lockers. "You better just keep your mouth shut for the rest of the year, or that cute little face ain't gonna be so cute anymore." Zack stared at her, but kept his mouth shut.

"Hey Michelle." There was no mistaking Lynne's voice. "If you don't stop being a jerk you're gonna get a black eye to match that black shirt."

"My shirt is green you dimwit."

"Is it really?" Lynne lifted an oilcan, Zack couldn't even guess why she had it, and she splashed the contents all over the older girl. Michelle screamed, while Lynne grabbed Zack's hand and sprinted off.

They ran down the hall, past the gym, out the cafeteria doors, and into the student parking lot. In the grass surrounding the lot Lynne collapsed. "Well that was fun."

Zack couldn't respond. He couldn't breathe. He had never run that fast or that far in his life.

When they had both caught their breath, Lynne sat up. "Sorry if I made you miss your bus."

"I don't ride the bus. But Joe said if I take too long I'll have to walk home." He turned and began to head off.

"Woah, no. You ain't walking home. You can ride with me and Andy." She ran over to a silver jeep in the back of the lot and banged on the window. When she opened the back door she called to Zack, "well are you coming?"

He ran over and got in the back beside Lynne. "So Lynne," a teenager with flat black hair, an earring, and a guitar-designed t-shirt turned around from the front seat. Zack figured this was Andy. "Where am I going with the tyke?"

"He's not a tyke, and I don't know. Zack where do you live?" They were all yelling over the rock music blaring from the front speakers.

"53652 Turner Ct., Whispering Willow Estates."

Lynne gasped. "Get out!" Zack was confused, but he opened the door. "Woah, where are you going?" She yelled.

"You told me to get out." Andy laughed, very loudly.

"That's not what she meant, tyke. She meant that's where we're headed. Same sub."

"That's not what she said." Zack was back to normal volume, so nobody heard him.

When Andy pulled into the driveway at Zack's house, Zack climbed out, thanked him, and walked up to the front door. Not having a key, he knocked and waited for someone to let him in. He was really hoping that Andy would drive away. Mrs. Addy would not react well to Zack's ride home or its driver.

Luckily, Zack's little sister, Nicole, swung the door open for him. He went up to the room he shared with Joe and got on his bed to start his homework. Joe came in a few minutes later. "Dang, you walk fast dude."

"I didn't walk home. Someone drove me home in their car."

"Who would give you a ride?"

"A girl named Lynne's brother Andy."

"Wait a minute, you mean Lynne and Andy Wethers?" Joe fell back on his bed laughing. "Leave it to you to make friends with the only people weirder than you in the school!"

"You made friends?" Mrs. Addy's head popped up in the doorway. "Oh, that's great honey." She went over to hug her son.

"We aren't friends, her brother just drove me home."

"Oh." Mrs. Addy walked out of the room.

But despite Zack's statement, him and Lynne became just like friends. Over the next two years they hung out quite a bit. He always carpooled with her and Andy, who always called him 'tyke.' She kept Michelle from beating him up, and he kept he from failing Biology. And though he'd never admit it, he liked having someone around who accepted him exactly as he was (and didn't call him a weirdo).

The summer before Zack's junior year, the year he graduated, Lynne moved away. He didn't know where she went or how to contact her, and he didn't see her again.

His parents were way sadder about this than he was. Not that he didn't care, he just didn't see 'any logical point in feeling sad about a person he had only known for two years, and he had no personal attachment to.' That's what he told everyone.

He didn't think much about her after that. At least, not until June 15, 2006. The day Andy Wethers came to visit.

**So whatcha guys think, this sound interesting?... btw, the story takes place during season 2, before the whole weird Gormogon thing… just so you know----- 5 reviews= an update… =)**

**~Chocochino**


	2. Three Shocks

_June 15, 2006…_

Zack stared at the female skeleton on the table. He wanted to go have lunch, but Dr. Brennan had told him to study the bones for signs of trauma. Angela had offered to stay, but Zack told her to go ahead.

He picked up the right femur and ran his finger along the fracture he'd found 20 minutes ago. He wanted to be able to tell Dr. Brennan that he'd found something new, but there was nothing else there. Whatever this woman died from, her bones didn't show it.

He was carefully placing it back down when- "what's that?" Zack jumped and the femur went flying. It landed on a chair, and Zack spun to face the owner of the voice.

Flat black hair, 3 left ear earrings, and a pinstripe suit; "Andy Wethers?"

"Heya!" Andy clapped Zack on the back. "How ya been tyke?"

"Fine." Zack went to get the femur from the chair.

"I see ya never grew out of 1 word answers." Andy followed Zack as he put the bone back in place, took off his gloves, and headed for his office. "So you got in the big leagues, huh?"

Zack stopped to give a confused look to his old friend. "I work as a forensic anthropologist here at the Jeffersonian."

"Right, I forgot, I have to be direct with you. Let me re-phrase; you're doing big things, working here."

"Andy, why are you here?" Zack asked. He remembered some things about Andy, one being that the boy could ramble forever if you didn't get him to the point right away.

"Right, here's the reason I came." Andy bit his lip, not really sure what to say next. "Lynne is dead. She was killed in a car accident two months ago."

Zack stared shell-shocked at the man who had still played cops-and-robbers at age 17. Having a photographic memory wasn't great now that all the memories of his childhood friends were flashing through his head.

"And there's more." Andy still looked awkward. "She has two children; a daughter and a son." At that moment the men heard a crash from the lab. Zack ran to see a little boy hitting the female skull with a pen. The table was on its side, the bones were scattered over the floor, and Zack was quite sure Dr. Brennan would kill him if she saw this.

He ran and grabbed the skull from the little boy, while Andy grabbed the little boy. "Eric, I told you not to touch anything."

"Sowy," Eric said mechanically. Really he was scrambling to get out of Andy's arms. His hands were outstretched for the skull he had been playing with.

Zack righted the table and worked quickly getting the rest of the skeleton on it. "Sorry about Eric. He just turned 5, and doesn't quite get the meaning of **don't touch anything** yet."

"You're 30-something and you don't either." A girl's voice piped in. Zack turned to see Lynne walk into the room. Or at least, a pretty good clone of her. They shared the same short brown hair, lanky limbs, and bright green eyes.

"Joycie, I told you to watch your brother. Does nobody listen to me?" Andy sighed as Joycie hopped over to them.

"I needed to find a bathroom." She shrugged and pulled a Skeletor action figure out of the bag hanging at her side. "Eric, this is your toy. Not those."

"Zack, this is Eric and Joycie; Ly—my niece and nephew. Guys, this is Zack Addy."

"Andy, I'm not positive. But don't children usually stay at home when their parents die-"

"O-kay!" Andy quickly cut Zack off, put Eric down, and pulled Zack aside. "Okay, I know you're not big on emotions and everything, but I'd really appreciate it if you didn't bring up death in front of them. Joycie is really sensitive."

He checked to make sure the kids weren't listening. "And the whole home thing is kind of the point of this visit. In a sense, they are home."

"I don't understand." Zack was liking seeing Andy less and less.

"In her will, Lynne gave custody of the kids to you." Zack couldn't respond if he tried.

_15 minutes later…_

Zack ran into the diner with Andy, Joycie, and Eric walking behind him. He went straight to his best friend. "Hodgins I need your help."

"One minute, dude. I'm finishing my cheeseburger." Hodgins took a bite and went back to laughing with the rest of the team.

"I was just given custody of the two children of a girl I haven't seen in 12 years." That got the whole team's attention.

"What?" Practically in unison.

"She was an acquaintance of mine in high school, and her brother tells me that she wrote me into her will, giving me custody of her 10-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son." Zack was speaking really fast, still in shock about the situation. Booth and the Squints were at a loss for words. Andy chose that moment to come over.

"Hey. I guess this is all a bit sudden." The team shifted their stare to him. "I'm Andy, Andy Wethers. I was a friend of Zack's." Half of them had to fight back surprise that Zack had friends as a kid as they introduced themselves. Zack spoke up.

"I don't think that Lynne was thinking the matter through when she made me their guardian."

"She was pretty darn specific about Zackary Uriah Addy."

"It would make more sense if they went to you or your parents."

"My parents live in a nursing home, and I still live in the basement at Sam's house."

The conversation ended up with Andy, Zack, Hodgins, and Angela at a table in the back, while Joycie and Eric hung out with the Squints.

"There's room at the house, of course." Hodgins was trying to be helpful.

"I still have very minimal knowledge of raising children." Zack wanted Hodgins to stop being helpful.

"Zack, you know we'll all lend a hand. Just look at them." They all turned to see Brennan playing 'dancing phalanges' with Eric. Joycie was trying to snap Skeletor's head back on.

"I feel bad about throwing this at you without warning. I understand if it's too much of a hassle. I just didn't know how I'd be able to tell you over the phone." Andy had gotten incredibly awkward in the past few minutes. Other than his appearance, he was almost nothing like Zack remembered.

"It's not a hassle, more of a surprise." Angela said.

"So, when can they move in?" Andy asked slowly.

"As soon as they want." Hodgins said. Zack had pretty much taken himself out of the conversation; he was thinking.

"They have their stuff with them right now. Well, at the hotel."

"Wait, don't you need to tell them that they're going to be living here?"

"See, I kinda already did." His eyes flicked to the kids. "I figured if I told them and you said yes, then they'd be more ok with it, and if you said no then I could say I was kidding."

"And both of them are fine with this?"

"It took Joycie a bit, but I think she warmed up to the idea. Her biggest problem was that she'd never met you before."

After a few minutes, "So I guess it's settled then." Angela smiled. "Zack are you alright?" He was staring at the wall, blanked out. He was processing the fact that he now had two kids' lives in his hands when he still needed help taking care of himself. Hodgins had to pry him from the table to go back to the apartment.

_At Hodgins' house, in the apartment above the garage…_

"It is a bad idea to let me raise a child." Zack was sitting at his kitchen table, speaking loudly so Hodgins could hear him in the spare room.

"Dude, it's been decided, they're moving in. And do you really think we're all gonna make you do this alone?" There was a loud thud and a yelp from the next room. "Now get your butt in here. TVs aren't exactly light."

Zack went to the room and lifted the TV with ease, carrying it back to the table. "Showoff," Hodgins muttered.

Him and Zack, mostly him obviously, were clearing out the spare room for the kids. It had been Zack's makeshift living room, but not anymore.

"Do you think the girl will mind sleeping on the couch until her bed gets here?"

"She shows larger concern for her brother's well-being than her own."

"So, she won't mind." Hodgins looked at the room. It was now completely empty except for two couches, an end table, and a lamp.

"And what about Eric?"

"He'll probably do whatever his sister does. It'll be fine for a few days." Hodgins went out to the kitchen and looked at the clock as he grabbed a bottle of beer from Zack's fridge. "They should be here any minute."

"You don't want to have that in sight when they get here."

"Why not?"

"Andy is strict against alcohol. The one time he caught Lynne with it, he smashed the bottle against the wall and yelled at her until she cried."

"That was his little sister."

"He did the same thing to his dad, except Mr. Wethers didn't cry." Hodgins put the beer back in the fridge. Way, way, back in the fridge.

They heard a car door slam outside. "Holy Seabiscuit!" They could see Joycie through the window. Her face was beaming. "Is this where we're living?"

"Kinda. Follow me." Andy, who was holding Eric, walked around to the side of the garage and climbed the staircase. Hodgins had told him where Zack lived in the house.

Hodgins opened the door before they could knock. He showed Andy where the kids' room was. Zack and Joycie stayed in the kitchen, staring awkwardly at each other over the table.

"Uncle Andy says me and Eric are gonna live here now. He told us two weeks ago."

"At least he told one of us." Zack crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"You don't want us here." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"I'm not sure yet."

Joycie smiled. "You're not lying to me." Zack didn't understand or respond. "You look kind of like a teenager."

"You look almost identical to Lynne."

"You've never taken care of kids before."

"No." They stared at each other for a few more minutes. Hodgins and Andy were really chatting it up in the kids' room.

"I'm not calling you dad."

"That would be a completely incorrect title."

"What do I call you?"

"The people I work with call me Zack."

"Do you remember my mom?"

"I have a photographic memory."

"Cool." To Zack it really wasn't cool. He wasn't enjoying going through all the good times he'd had with the Wethers' in his head.

"How did you know mom?"

"We were acquaintances in high school."

"She talked about you sometimes."

"She did?"

"Yeah, she told me once that I'm almost as smart as you."

"I have an IQ over 163." Joycie's eyes widened.

"You're 20-something, I'm only 10."

"You're the same age I was when I started high school."

"Where you met mom in the cafeteria and she forced you to sit at her lunch table with her."

"Yeah." Both of them smiled. Andy and Hodgins walked in.

"Glad to see the two of you are bonding."

"Kinda." Joycie said. Zack noticed both her and Andy used that word a lot. Lynne had, too.

"Well I guess it's time for me to head out."

"What? Where are you going?" Joycie's smile faded.

"Not far, just back to the hotel. I'm in town for the rest of the week on business." He hugged Joycie and ruffled Eric's hair, and headed for the door. "I'm only twenty minutes away, so if you need me, call and I'll be right over, okay?"

"Sure, this'll be an adventure." Joycie smiled broadly, a little too happy to believe. "Right, Eric?"

"Adventure!" Eric threw his toy in the air and laughed when it hit Hodgins in the head.

"That's my tyke." Andy left the apartment slowly. "Later Hodgins, Zack."

After that it got awkward. Well, more awkward.

Hodgins was called back to the lab and refused to let Zack come with him. Zack had no idea what to do with the kids by himself. By request he set up the TV, and the Xbox they'd brought, in the kitchen. He left them there and went to read a book for the rest of the night.

At 11 he could still hear the sounds of Pokemon training from the kitchen. He walked in on Eric and a Squirtle doing a victory dance.

He asked them if they should go to bed. He noticed that Joycie batted at her eyes the second she heard him. Her eyes were red when she carried her brother to the bedroom.

Once they were all ready for bed Eric asked Zack to read them a story. None of them had any children's stories so Zack grabbed _Deja Dead_, one of the books Dr. Brennan wrote, from his bedroom. Eric didn't understand any of it, and was asleep in ten minutes. Joycie listened a bit longer, until the end of chapter 2, when Zack said to go to sleep.

_1 month later…_

It was 5 in the morning on Sunday when his cell phone went off next to his head. He answered groggily, "Dr. Zack Addy," the way Hodgins had taught him.

"Zack, we need you to come in." Angela's voice came up.

"I can't get to the lab. Hodgins took the car last night."

"Hodgins already left to pick you up. We just thought we'd let you know."

"I'll tell Joycie." He walked into the other bedroom, which had weeks ago been divided in half by Eric's and Joycie's stuff. At the moment, Eric was up visiting his uncle in Michigan, so the girl had the room to herself. He gently shook her shoulder. "I'm going to the Jeffersonian. I'll call Alexa before I leave."

Joycie rolled over and looked at the clock on the wall. "She won't come- it's 5 o' clock."

"She said call any time." Zack was still clueless about his parenting role; he needed Angela or Cam over at practically all times he was home.

"Any reasonable time. Just let me sleep in the car or something." She sat up and went to pull some socks out of her dresser.

"Zack, bring Joycie in, this concerns her, too." Zack had forgotten Angela was still on the phone.

"We'll be there in twenty minutes." He told her. Him and Joycie waited on the driveway for Hodgins, who had a strange expression on his face when he showed up.

When they arrived Zack carried in Joycie, who was asleep, and laid her on one of the benches. Hodgins hurried him up to where a body lay on an examination table, except no one was examining it.

Everyone was hanging around the platform. Cam and Sweets were the only ones not there.

"Zack, look at this." Angela handed him a picture. What he noticed was the writing on the back. He read it out loud.

"_Hello, Mr. Addy, let's play a game._

_Each day you will get a clue for a different name._

_Only one of you will make it through the week._

_Let us start with the person at the peak._

_Sincerely,_

_Jacob Tarose"_

"Who's Jacob Tarose?" Zack asked.

"He's Joycie's dad." Booth said. "Her biological dad."

Zack looked at the picture; it was the whole team at the diner. He remembered the scene, it was yesterday. Joycie was with them, too. She was poking Hodgins with a straw.

"Booth, should we be worried? He's not just threatening Zack, but all of us." Angela was sitting on a rolling chair with Hodgins protectively at her shoulder. "We're concerned either way of course." She assured Zack, who was still staring at the letter.

"It could be an empty threat." Booth was pretty sure. "This Tarose guy may just be trying to scare Zack."

"He is definitely succeeding." Zack hadn't moved in the past few minutes.

Suddenly, a huge explosion shook the lab. Everything rattled, glass broke, and smoke leaked out from down the hall. The team looked at each other as the shaking died—that was the hall where Cam's office was.

They all sprinted down there. Her office was destroyed, everything either broken or outside the gaping hole in the wall.

Looking down, there was Cam. She was sprawled by a chair, surrounded by wood and glass shards. She was bleeding all over, and Booth was at her side in a heartbeat.

Flatly, Hodgins spoke. "This is no empty threat."

**A/N: well I guess I lied, Sweets is gonna be in this fic, so it'll be more early season 3… anywho, same as last time… 5 reviews= update… easy math =)**


	3. Wakeup Call

Lynne's hair was plastered to her forehead. "Come on, Zack. I know you can do this."

She was grinning, still energetic as ever. Zack, however, felt like he was dying. They had been at the park for 3 hours; it had been pouring rain for 2.

She kicked the soccer ball back to him. He was at half-court, and she was at the defense line. The goal was to, well, score a goal.

"Can we come back tomorrow?" Zack was shivering.

"No, tomorrow is our first practice." In only shorts and a tank top, Lynne was perfectly fine. "I told the coach that you would be good enough to play with our 14 and under team."

"I thought you hated lying."

"I didn't lie. You will be good enough, if you can just get one ball past me."

"Why did you sign us up for soccer?"

"Because my mom says I need to do something with my time, and I say you do, too. So use that brain of yours to figure out the indirect trajecta-whatever, and get the ball in that net."

He ran forward with the ball again, knowing it was useless to argue. This time, though, when she stole the ball again, he was paying attention. Lynne was a bit unbalanced on her left foot, so if he could get her to transfer her weight there…

"Woh!" He slammed the ball against her foot, she fell, and he scored.

He grabbed the ball and walked back to Lynne. "Can we please go home now?"

She stood and laughed, wiping mud out of her eyes. "Yeah, we can."

Mrs. Addy didn't like her kids coming home all dirty, and most of Zack's ventures with Lynne ended with them covered in dirt, mud, slime, etc.

It had become routine for him to go to the Wethers' before going home, and Mrs. Wethers let him wash up. She loved Zack hanging out with Lynne; she thought he was a 'good influence.' Honestly, Lynne was the bigger influence.

They walked into the house, where Mrs. Wethers was already holding out towels and washcloths for them.

"Don't you two go getting mud on my staircase. I just cleaned today."

"We know." They both chimed.

"And Zack, honey, your mom just called. You need to be home for dinner in 20 minutes."

"Ok." While they cleaned off, Andy and Sam walked by.

"Wow tyke, you're a mess." Zack looked at the two teenagers climbing the stairs. Andy's shirt and pants were covered in blue gunk, while Sam had it dripping from his hair down his face and neck.

"You are too." Zack stated. Andy laughed.

"So laundry isn't my thing, sue me."

"I can't sue you for that." Andy rolled his eyes.

"I know, tyke. I know."

"You know?!" Zack's eyes shot open. "What do you mean 'you know'?" Hodgins was yelling into a cell phone. "Why didn't you tell us?" A pause. "Oh, it sure as hell came up."

Zack looked around. The hospital room was the same as it had been 3 hours ago. Cam was in the bed, asleep. Booth was right at her side, head by her arm, also asleep. The only one who'd moved was Hodgins, who was currently pacing.

"I don't care!" Pause. "Explain it to him, he'll understand." Booth was stirring; Hodgins wasn't exactly quiet. "I will!" Hodgins shut the phone and looked at Booth. "Can we get a court order to make Andy come to D.C.?" Booth shrugged. He wasn't really awake, and Andy wasn't his concern at the moment.

Angela and Brennan walked into the room. "How is she doing?"

Hodgins went to Angela. "She hasn't woken up yet."

"And Zack, someone wants to see you in the hall." Brennan pointed to where a young woman was visible behind the glass door. Zack didn't have to move because she was already opening the door.

"Zackary Uriah Addy, I don't believe you!" He didn't look up.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh," her voice was suddenly really calm, "I was just in town on business and thought I'd see how you were doing. So I went to the Jeffersonian to find out you were BLOWN UP!" She wasn't calm anymore.

"It happened yesterday morning." Zack stood up, backed into a wall and avoided eye contact.

"And you couldn't find any time to call your family? Don't you remember mom's #1 rule?" She was right in his face.

"Which one? There are 17."

"Oh yeah," calm, "number 9!" Not as calm. "If something goes wrong, you contact your family immediately!"

Zack glanced to Hodgins, who was studying the argument interestedly. Turning to address the group, "I'm Zack's sister, Emily." They introduced themselves, all except Cam. Back to Zack, who was still avoiding eye contact. "So explain, why didn't you call?"

"Why didn't you call when you got divorced?"

Her face shifted from angry to scared. "How do you know I got divorced?"

"You aren't wearing your wedding ring." He pointed and she clutched her hand.

"Yours is way worse and mom is going to be so mad when I tell her." She reached out and flicked his ear and he quickly snapped his fingers in her face. Her face froze, she stomped her foot, and she left the room.

The team was staring at Zack, who shrugged. The snap-flick thing was something him and Emily used to solve their arguments when they were kids. The rest of their family never quite got it, but it worked. Emily was shocked because Zack hadn't done it for years.

A nurse came in to tell them that since Cam was stable, they needed to leave. Booth lied, saying he was Cam's husband, and was allowed to stay while everyone else went back to the lab. There, they were surprised to find Emily watching Joycie.

"Where ya guys been?" The young girl called from across the room. No one had told her what happened to Cam yet, and they didn't really intend to. She ran over. "Where's Booth and Dr. Cam?"

"They're going to be away for a while." Angela put a hand on Joycie's shoulder.

"They're in the hospital." Joycie never asked when she knew she was right. Emily held her palms up defensively.

"I didn't tell her."

"There were sirens and you all disappeared right after the explosion. Is Dr. Cam ok?" It didn't surprise the team that she had figured this out. They had been hoping she wouldn't, but what can you do?

"She was stable when we left. They said she should be out in a few days. Most of her injuries are from being thrown at the chair, not the explosive." Brennan explained.

"Ok." Joycie was satisfied with the answer and went back to her puzzle book on the bench. She was concerned; mindless activities were her way of staying calm. The team watched her, worried.

"Zack, maybe you and Joycie should go stay with Andy in Michigan for a while." Angela suggested.

"Why?"

"So Tarose doesn't kill either of you."

"I don't think this dude's trying to kill anybody." Now Emily joined. "I mean the explosive isn't that hard to make. I could make it. Anyone with internet or a TV could make it. I don't think he's a big threat, just don't open any weird packages."

"You say this as our boss sits at the hospital, unconscious."

"Asleep. And you said it yourself most of her injuries were from the chair."

"Emily!" Zack barked. He pulled his sister aside. "You need to be sympathetic with them. That's how they function in terms of loss and injury, like Dr. Saroyan's." Yes, Zack was Emily's people coach.

"Fine." They went back. The team still found their interactions weird.

"You guys need to read this!" They all jumped when Sweets' voice came out of nowhere. He was holding a piece of paper. "This was taped to the platform." Dr. Brennan took it.

"_Calling me harmless is a bad idea, love,_

_Considering you don't know what I'm capable of._

_Let's go next to the best friend's sweet._

_One little twist, and one will be finit." _

"What does that mean?" Emily didn't know about the riddles.

"It's a riddle," Hodgins explained. "We need to figure out who he's going after next." He reread the note. "Best friend. Whose best friend?"

"Well, he was talking to Zack in the first note," Brennan put in.

"Why would he call Zack 'love'?" Angela asked.

"Because it rhymes with 'of,' moving on." Emily didn't care about the first two lines. "Zack's best friend; Hodgins, right?"

"So I'm gonna get blown up next?" He didn't seem incredibly concerned.

"No, it says 'the best friend's sweet' That's Angela."

Hodgins was at Angela's side immediately. "He's not getting anywhere near her."

"I don't need mass security, it's like Emily said, I'll just be careful."

"I would like to point out that Emily isn't very competent with logic, and that her reasoning is usually flawed." Emily punched her brother's shoulder, hard.

Brennan looked to Angela. "Why don't you stay at my place for a few days?" They both nodded.

That night, Brennan was finishing some paperwork and Angela said she'd wait for her in the car. It was barely five minutes later that Brennan went down to the garage to find that Angela wasn't in the car.

Her best friend was on her back on the ground, not moving, and it didn't look like she was breathing either. Brennan ran over and felt for a pulse; it was small, but there. Brennan untied the cloth wound tightly around Angela's neck and began CPR.

"Help!" She called out as she counted. "3, 4, 5." Still not breathing. "Someone help!" She heard footsteps and almost felt relieved.

"What's going on?" A very apathetic Emily Addy was running over.

"Call for an ambulance." Brennan didn't look up.

"You seem to have it und-"

"Just call 911!" Brennan yelled at Emily, cutting her off. She didn't usually get emotional, but for God sake, Angela was practically dead!

"We need an ambulance in the garage of the Jeffersonian lab." Pause. "No, this isn't a prank call." Response. "I am an adult." Pause. "There are two other people here. One is dying; the other is keeping her alive. Send a darned ambulance before I come steal one for myself!" Emily recited the address to the operator, and hung up. Brennan continued to count.

------------------------------------------------------------

Hodgins banged his fist on the apartment door. "Zack, Joycie, someone; open the door!"

Joycie ran from the couch; anything to get away from the lovey-dovey musical on TV. She swung open the door.

"Where's Zack?"

"In the shower. Why?"

"Tell him to hurry up and meet me downstairs. Angela's in the hospital." Joycie nodded and shut the door as Hodgins ran off. But she didn't go to Zack to relay the message.

Instead, the 10-year-old turned and slumped down against the wall. Elbows on her knees, head in her hands; "Dad, I told you not to do this."

**A/N: so did this amuse you, intrigue you, confuse you? please, please review! it makes me happy =)**


	4. Angels

**a/n: wow, you guys, i didn't think that many people at all… i'm happy to know that people are enjoying this, and it shall continue! oh, and this will make sense later, but i am an atheist so i assure you i am not promoting religion in this (my friend made me put that in)… plus, school just got out yesterday, yippee!!!!! **

"Where's Zack?" Hodgins asked Joycie as she came into the garage.

"I told him to hurry up." Unlike Lynne, Joycie didn't mind lying. In fact, she did it a lot. She sat down and started to pull on her Converse high-tops. One was new; the other was decorated in permanent marker with a bunch of names. That one had been Lynne's; Eric had its match.

They waited another 20 minutes before Hodgins ran up and dragged Zack down the staircase. Zack was really confused, but he got in the car, and they took off to the hospital again.

"Where have you been?" Booth asked when the three of them came into the room. Angela had ended up sharing a hospital room with Cam (Booth had a little bit to do with that). Booth was by Cam's bed, but angled to face Angela.

"We had a bit of trouble getting _someone_ to leave the house." Hodgins shot a pointed look at Zack.

"No one told me to come downstairs." He defended himself.

"I yelled it through the door." Joycie sprawled on the floor and proceeded to set up a game of Solitaire; more mindless activity. "I thought you heard me."

This visit was longer than their last one. Brennan, Booth and Hodgins all stayed by Angela and Cam. Zack was slouched in a chair, and Emily sat cross-legged on the windowsill. Joycie left and went to the food court at one point.

Cam was awake, and said she felt fine. Angela, however, was on oxygen, and her neck was bandaged. She had been dead for a minute and a half before Brennan was able to revive her. The doctors didn't have much to say on how stable her condition was. All they knew was she wasn't awake, she hadn't been since Brennan found her, and she probably wouldn't be any time soon.

They all stayed there that night. No one slept. Joycie stayed in the hallway. She couldn't stand seeing Cam and Angela like this. The team thought it was like Andy had said; she was sensitive. She didn't correct them.

Around 2 a.m., they were all sitting around, staring at each other, when Emily spoke, "I guess mysterious packages aren't the only things you guys need to be careful of."

"You think?" Booth gave her a glare.

"Hey, don't give me that look. It isn't my fault."

"Angela was acting on your advice." He was tired, angry and worried; he didn't mind starting a fight. Besides, he was just about sick of Emily. Everyone was.

"I didn't think that-"

"You're right, you didn't think." He got on his feet. "You know what, you're just like Zack; you don't have any emotions. I guess it runs in the family." He was walking toward the windowsill.

"Booth." Zack tried to stop the argument.

"Well you just think you know everything," Emily countered. "If you haven't noticed. No one's dead!"

"Emily!" Zack tried harder this time.

"You wouldn't give a crap if any of us did die!" The room went silent. Emily took a deep breath. She had an urge to attack Booth, but remembered the cool-down methods Zack had taught her. She did feel emotions, but her strongest and most dominant one was anger.

"If you want me to leave, just tell me." They glared at each other more. Booth didn't say anything. "Fine, I'll see you at Christmas, Zack." As she walked out she muttered, "And mom wonders why I hate hospitals."

Zack looked out the window. It was pouring rain. How appropriate. The dark sky was cut with a flash of lightning, followed by the roll of thunder.

After a few minutes, Cam looked at Booth. "You all should go home and get some rest." Before he could respond, "Booth, I know for a fact you didn't sleep last night."

He protested, and Cam won. The team left, but they didn't go home. They all wound up asleep on the floor of Brennan's office.

Zack woke up around 4:30 to find Joycie gone. He was searching the copy room for her when he heard sniffling. He walked down the hall to Cam's office. Joycie was on the floor, cross-legged, sitting in the hole in the wall, her head leaned against the side.

"When we were little, my mom used to think we were scared of the thunder." Zack slipped under the yellow police tape and went to the hole. Joycie was soaking wet, since it was still raining.

"You still are little." He said.

More lightning cut through, making the office bright for a second, then pitch black again. She continued as if he hadn't said anything. "She told us it was the angels bowling. One time, I tried telling Eric what thunder really is. Scientifically." She didn't move as she spoke. She just kept staring at the rain. "He began crying and said I was going to Hell because I didn't believe in God and the angels."

Zack stared at her. He guessed her father taught Eric that. Lynne was an atheist; she wouldn't have talked to her kids about religion.

"I got a lecture from my dad while he calmed Eric down." She gave a slight laugh. "Imagine having your 3-year-old brother yelling at you that you're going to Hell while your dad tries to keep your mom from hearing it."

Zack sat down next to her and got drenched within seconds. He then noticed that part of the water on Joycie's face was tears. She gave that slight laugh again. "Mom thought I was afraid of the thunder." Turning to Zack, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For barging into your life. For moving into your home. For bugging you at work. For what my dad is doing now."

"None of that is your fault." He remembered something. "I thought your dad died."

"Eric's dad, my step-dad, yes. In the car crash with mom. My real dad, no."

"I thought your biological dad left-"

"Before I was born, yes. Mom didn't know that I tried to find him. No one knew. I found him a few years ago, and we kept in touch. He said he was sorry for leaving, and he wanted to make it up to me." She shook her head. "It wasn't until the custody battle that I found out he only wanted me for the money he'd get from mom."

She laid her head down on Zack's lap and stared back out at the rain. "Back in Michigan, he told me he'd get me back, no matter what it took. It was creepy how he said it. I told him not to do anything bad." She meant anything stupid.

"Have you seen him since?" Joycie froze.

"No." Zack didn't ask further. "Are you gonna leave me too?" She looked up at him.

"No." He awkwardly patted her head. He meant what he said, though.

Joycie fell asleep there, soaking wet, in a hole in a wall. Now it was Zack's turn to think of Lynne, and thunder, and the angels, as he stared at the rain.


	5. Grow a Heart

"Stupid brother," Emily muttered as she walked down the street to the Jeffersonian. "Who needs him anyway?" The only reason she was going back was to get her PDA, which she'd left in Brennan's office last night.

"Free candy!" Emily saw a man at the street corner ahead. He was ambling her way with a plastic bag on his arm. "Hello, young lady, would you like some free candy?" The man had scruffy black hair, and wore jeans with a polo shirt. He smiled crookedly at her and held out a small wrapped truffle.

"Sure, thanks," she said angrily and took the truffle. The man wasn't fazed by her rudeness.

"Have a nice day, dear." He continued down the sidewalk, and she set off for the lab again.

When she got there she went to Brennan's office to find the whole team asleep on the floor. On the desk, across the sea of people, was her PDA.

"Great," she grumbled. She picked her way across the sleeping squints. She almost got to the desk, but not before tripping over Hodgins' leg and crashing down on Brennan.

"What the-" The gun Brennan had kept by her side was pointed at Emily. "Oh." She lowered it as Emily got up.

"What's going on?! Bones, are you ok?" Booth had his gun out too. He was already on his feet in defensive position.

"I'm fine, Booth. It's just Emily." He lowered his weapon, but continued to glare at Zack's sister.

"Hey, how come you two are the only ones with guns?" Hodgins asked sleepily.

"Because you don't know how to use one anyway."

"Your point being…?" He went over and sat on the couch. Oddly, no one had chosen to sleep on it.

"What happened? I heard yelling." Zack appeared at the doorway, dripping wet from head to toe.

"Emily woke us up," Sweets explained, leaning on the couch. "But what happened to you?"

"It rained last night, and I was sleeping in Cam's office."

"I'm not gonna bother asking why." Hodgins laughed.

"Where's Joycie?" Emily asked as she stuffed her PDA in her bag.

"She's still in Cam's office. She wasn't awake yet."

"You left her ALONE! Are you completely idiotic?!"

"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!" A high scream pierced the air.

Emily shoved past them all and ran down the hall. Joycie was pressed against the wall, clutching a lamp in her hands. She was trembling, and Booth ran over to her.

"Are you ok? What happened?" He crouched and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I saw him. He was here." Her knuckles were white.

"Who?" He was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"My dad. He was here." She leaned onto Booth. "I told him to go away."

"Wait, he talked to you! Did he come near you?"

"No, he saw me and I yelled it to him. I don't know where he went. I didn't do anything wrong!" Booth held her and tried to calm her down. He carefully pried the lamp from her fingers.

"Why did you scream?" He asked.

"He started coming toward me. I got scared."

"Don't worry. He's not coming anywhere near you." Booth looked at the team. "From now on, no one is alone. You must be with at least one other person at all times." Then he noticed something. "Where's Sweets?"

"Oh he's right-" Hodgins turned around. "He was right behind me."

"Crap." Booth cursed and ran back down the hall. Sure enough, there was Sweets, collapsed on the floor. He looked paler than usual. Booth started shaking him. "Damn it, wake up Sweets."

He saw a shot sticking out of Sweets' arm. The plunger was down, so there was only a little blue liquid left in it. Booth yanked it out.

"Yeah, we need an ambulance at the Jeffersonian." Pause. "I don't care if this is the 50th call, I'm still serious!" Pause. "Thank you!" Emily hung up her phone. This time no one had to tell her to call 911.

They waited while paramedics came and took Sweets away. Brennan said she'd go in the ambulance with him, and soon both were gone. As always, they went to Brennan's office. It was still littered with pillows and blankets, so the 5 of them sat on the floor.

Joycie was lying with her head on Zack's lap. "Why was he alone?" She looked up at her guardian. "Didn't you guys figure out the clue?"

"There was no clue this time." Booth realized. "We didn't get one of his riddles."

"Actually, we might have." Emily pulled the truffle out of her bag. "Some guy was giving out free candy on the street."

"And you didn't think that was the least bit weird?" Booth was an inch below yelling. Hodgins took the truffle from Emily. He read the wrapper.

"_Figure it out, J.T."_ He looked at Emily. "This was our clue. Candy—sweets."

"Great," Booth crossed his arms and slouched against the couch. "Now we can't even be positive who to watch."

"He gave a clue," Emily said. "I just didn't give it to you."

They sat around for a few hours. What else were they supposed to do?

"Why is it so hot in here?" Hodgins asked.

"Because it's summer, it's 90 degrees outside, and the air conditioning is broken." Head back on the couch, eyes closed, Booth didn't look like he was awake.

"Didn't they fix that already?"

"No, they-"

"Would you two shut up about the air conditioning?!" Emily continued typing on her phone. Booth was too tired to snap back at her anymore. He jumped when his phone started ringing.

"Hello." Response. "Okay, Bones. See you in a few." He hung up. "She just left the hospital." Quiet for a few more minutes.

"Hey, what's that?" Hodgins pointed to what Booth was gripping in his fist.

"Oh, it's nothing." Booth threw the shot that had poisoned Sweets to the ground.

"No, I mean," Hodgins leaned over and grabbed it, "what's this?" There was a strip of paper wrapped around the shot. He unraveled it.

"_Think for a minute and you'll see,_

_The body count is now up to 3._

_And now, your address for them is the name of their game._

_Don't figure this one out and you'll be ridden with flames." _

"Okay, ignoring the first two lines again, your address for them. So, where they live?" Emily joined. "Where do you all live?"

"No, it's your address _for them._ Not their address."

"What's that mean?"

"I don't know."

"I do." Joycie sat up straight, smiling. "Address for them; what you call them. What you call them is the name of their game. Probably their job." She pointed at Booth. "Do you have any nicknames?"

"No."

"How about you?" To Hodgins.

"Uh, Cam calls me Hodge-Podge sometimes. But that doesn't make much-"

"Bones!" Booth was on his feet. "Name of her game is bones." He cursed again and was out the door in a second flat. Hodgins ran after him.

"Always have someone with you." Booth didn't really care about his earlier rule. He was in the car and on the road before Hodgins could finish. He started up his flashing siren, speeding in and out of traffic too fast for anyone to really register. Hodgins was white-knuckled gripping the car handles, and he feared for his life even though Tarose wasn't there at the moment.

Booth called Brennan's cell phone. He calmed a bit when she said she was fine, but he told her to go to the park and wait for him. When he and Hodgins got there, Brennan was nowhere to be found. They searched, but her car wasn't there either. He took off down the empty road on foot, Hodgins close behind.

They found their friend's car on the side of the road, in a ditch, with the passenger side significantly dented in. The most notable part of the scene was the fire. It had engulfed the car and several nearby trees.

Booth heard faint screaming and ran to the driver side door. Inside was Brennan, arms bound to her side, eyes blindfolded, screaming and slamming her shoulder against the window. He yanked at the handle, but it didn't open.

"Bones, hang on, I'm gonna get you out!" He picked up a rock. "Move away from the window!" She complied, and he threw the rock past the steering wheel. He quickly unlocked the door and pulled his partner out.

Booth pulled off Brennan's blindfold, and cut her arms free with his knife. She was blackened all over from smoke. With ragged breaths she was choking, and covered in burns. Hodgins ran over to help get Brennan away from the flaming heap that smelled a lot like gasoline.

They got a few feet before she was coughing too hard to move. Neither guy knew what to do to help her. It didn't matter; she passed out in Booth's arms.

At the lab, Joycie was asleep on the couch. Emily spun in the chair at Brennan's desk.

"You think they'll find Dr. Brennan?"

"Do you actually care?" Zack asked.

"Why do all of you keep asking me that? I am capable of caring for people other than myself." She started picking at her nails.

"That isn't what I meant."

"Yes, it is." She took a deep breath. "I know it is. Forrest, my ex-husband, he often asked me the same thing. Why do you think he divorced me?"

"How come you haven't told mom or Ben or anyone else yet?"

"Is this gonna be a conversation of questions? 'Cuz if so, I'm finding a vending machine."

"I don't understand why you came to me first."

"Wow, you don't understand something! There's a shocker." Both of them knew she was dancing around the subject. "Fine, you're the only one who'll talk to me. All the siblings were already mad at me for some reason or other, which you know. But when Nicole got into that really big med school last month and I didn't come home. Well, that just set everybody over."

"I didn't come home either."

"Yeah, but nobody hates you."

"They don't hate-"

"Yes, they do. They have since I pushed Nate down the stairs."

"He was 9, and you broke his arm and 5 ribs. And more importantly, you meant to do it."

"I've changed since I was 10. Nobody gets that."

"Of course they do. You're taller, your hair is longer-"

"Not what I meant!" She got up and went to the door. "Just forget it Zack. I need to make a business call."

Zack stared after his sister. Of all the people in the world, she was the only one he could never figure out. She was always angry, never happy when you saw her, and consistently trying to be alone. Joycie and Zack were her only exceptions.

Joycie suddenly got up and went to the door too.

"Did you hear all of that?" Zack asked her.

"I hear everything." She closed her eyes. "I know you're some kind of super-genius, but you know nothing about people. Like you, Aunt Emily has feelings and just hides them. You use logic; she uses anger." The little girl was on the verge of yelling. She cared very much about her new family. "You may be the smartest person in the world, but you need desperately to grow a heart. And you can figure out what I mean by that." She ran out.

It took Zack a while to get past logic, but he did figure out what Joycie meant. He also noticed the effect his new charge had on him. She had a way of making him think about things.

He was only thinking about one thing at the moment; Dr. Brennan. He picked up his phone and dialed Booth. Of course no one picked up, but he knew they had found her. He went to tell Emily, but she shooed him away from her phone conversation. Joycie listened a bit better.

**a/n: so there it is, chapter 5… i almost thought i wouldn't get it up before wedenesday, but i did, yay!… i leave for camp on wedenesday and i'll be gone for 2 weeks so i really wanted to get this up… i'm gonna try to work on all my stories at camp, but we don't have too much free time, so maybe i'll try and sneak it under my drama teachers' noses. hmm… anywho, please review and i'll update once i get back**


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